Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95

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The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95 is a turning point in the modern history of East Asia, with Korea being the cause for conflict. While for the Qing Empire, Korea was part of the Chinese tributary system, Japan insisted on Korea's political independence. The confrontation first culminated when Japan opened up Korea (1876). Since then Japan referred to Korea as an independent state with the same sovereign rights as Japan. When Japan systematically expanded its influence in Korea in the following years, serious complications arose w…